ABS Stores Resume Normal Business Hours In Montgomery County

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Montgomery County liquor stores will return to pre-pandemic hours, County Executive Marc Elrich announced Thursday.

The retail stores run through the county's Department of Alcohol Beverage Services — known as ABS stores — have had limited hours during the pandemic. The old schedule will return on June 13: stores will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

The Poolesville store that opened last year — selling only liquor, no wine or beer — will be open from noon to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and will be closed on Sunday.

“Throughout this pandemic, the ABS staff has done an incredible job of ensuring that the stores were safe for themselves and customers,” said Elrich in a news release. “With more than 60 percent of our residents vaccinated, ABS stores are ready to resume normal hours. I would like to thank everyone for their patience and cooperation during this very challenging time. Resuming normal hours is another indication of the progress we have made.”

Stores will not have any capacity limits, mask wearing is optional and social distancing guidelines will not be in place. Most ABS stores were operating from 12 to 7 p.m. during the pandemic because of staff shortages. There are 26 ABS stores in Montgomery County. You can find the one nearest to you on the county's ABS webpage, here.

Montgomery County recently changed its guidance on mask wearing, saying this week that people are no longer required to wear one in County buildings. Montgomery County has moved slower than the state as a whole when it comes to mask mandates — the state ended its mask requirement on May 15, after CDC guidance came out.

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